LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Housing costs are a struggle for so many here in the valley — even for those who put their lives on the line for our country.
As of Clark County's latest point-in-time count — essentially its homeless census — last conducted in Jan. 2024, the valley was home to more than 600 unhoused veterans.
I'm digging deeper into a new project that aims to help, and on Monday, Jan. 26, you have an opportunity to learn more and share input at a community meeting.
The project, called Patriot Housing LV, plans to bring transitional housing as well as affordable apartments with below-market rate rents serving people between 50%-80% area median income to the east side of town, near Vegas Valley Drive and Hollywood Boulevard.
"Really, it's a legacy project, and the legacy project is to give back to those who have served us, so making veterans a priority," said Sheila Lambert, co-manager of Patriot Housing, LLC.
I reached out to a veteran source of mine in the community for their thoughts, and they shared that they and a few other veterans have concerns about the location for the project, citing concerns about safety in the area, as well as the fact that it's a bit far from the VA hospital in North Las Vegas.
So, I took those concerns to Lambert.
"We don't want to put all of our services in one zip code. We want to make sure veterans are part of all the communities. One of the key parts of this project is that we have a service center on site, where those veterans that need wraparound services aren't going to need to travel to other locations," Lambert said.
That service center will include workforce reintroduction services, mental health support, physical health programs, and family counseling.
Lambert also told me that this location is strategically located on an RTC bus route, and the housing development itself will be providing transportation to and from the VA hospital for those who need it.
As for the safety concerns, Lambert said they made sure to look at crime rates and compare them before settling on this location.
"This community is relatively safe as compared to many of the other areas in Las Vegas," Lambert said.
Lambert said they've gotten all the approvals from the City of Las Vegas and are now going through the entitlement process with Clark County.
If you're wondering how the project will be funded, Lambert said it'll all be funded through private organizations and investors.
Developers hope to break ground later this year and for Phase 1 to be ready by summer or fall of 2027.
The community meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26 at the Hollywood Recreation Center. This is not a government meeting and no decisions will be made; it's just an opportunity for neighbors to learn more about the project and share any questions or input.
"This is the first meeting to provide some preliminary site plans, what the zoning is going to look like, and make sure the community and neighbors are part of the process of determining what the final design looks like," Lambert said.
